N95 Yes, It Is a Respirator

N95

Yes, It Is a Respirator

BY KIM HODNE SAFETY CONSULTANT

Respirators, their use and associated program requirements is one of the most misunderstood and subsequently ignored standards in the construction industry. To be effective for employees and compliant to the standard takes a committed effort on the part of the employer. It is no small task and begins with the development of a Respiratory Protection Program, which will be the blueprint for implementation of employees' use of respirators in the workplace. A proper program will address the process of the required medical examination, fit testing of respirator, employee training and recordkeeping. And yes, the disposable N95 filtering facepiece respirator IS a negative pressure respirator as defined by OSHA. As stated above, the use of disposable N95 filtering facepiece respirator in the workplace must be included in an employer's written respiratory protection program. Even if the N95 is the only type of respirator used, all the standard requirements apply. The Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2020 listed in it’s “Census of fatal occupational injuries” 1,008 fatalities nationwide, seven of those were in the state of Iowa due to respiratory illness. Once a toxic dust, particulate or vapor is inhaled, it’s too late. The effect may be immediate or may take years, but the outcome is always the same. OSHA's Respiratory Protection Standard does not define "single use" respirators. This is a term used by manufactures and it is intended to differentiate from the silicone half and full face respirators with interchangeable filters and cartridges. The "single use respirator" usually refers to a disposable N95 filtering facepiece respirator. Disposable respirators are not required to be discarded at the end of each task, but discarded when they are no longer in their original working condition, whether its condition results from contamination, structural defects, or wear. A negative pressure respirator means any tight-fitting respirator in which the air pressure inside the facepiece is negative during inhalation with respect to the ambient air pressure outside the respirator.

The respiratory protection standard requires fit testing for all employees using tight fitting respirators including filtering facepiece respirators (e.g., disposable N95 respirators). The fit test must be performed before the respirator is used in the workplace and must be repeated at least annually and whenever a different respirator facepiece is used or a change in the employee’s physical condition could affect the respirator fit. The fit test can only be performed after the employee has been cleared by a medical professional via a medical examination. This exam is crucial, if the employee is not physically capable to breath through the restriction of a respirator the consequences could be fatal. The N95 respirator is the most common type found in the construction industry. It is the least expensive and requires less care and maintenance. They can not be washed for reuse and there are no parts to replace. Once the respirator has become unusable due to wear or damage it is simply disposed of unlike the silicone half face respirator which requires constant cleaning, valve replacement and the use of HEPA filters or cartridges. It is important to note that the N95 is designed as a particulate respirator not meant as protection from VOC’s or other gases, vapors and fumes. As a safety professional I have developed and revised many respiratory protection programs and policies as well as performed hundreds of fit testing and training. As a shipyard painter for fifteen years I also know the practical use of respirators in the field and the problems when they fail. The fact is, once you inhale, be it particulate or vapor, it’s in the body and exhaling won’t resolve the damage done. Recognizing the time, effort and cost of implementing a proper respiratory program for your company the best option is to review the hierarchy of controls. Can the hazard be eliminated, is there a product substitute or is there an engineering control? These considerations must be evaluated in any hazard assessment, the use of PPE is always the last resort. So in conclusion, if you are going to have your employees use respirators in the workplace be it N95 filtering facepiece respirators or silicone half / full face respirator you have to do it right. There are no short cuts to ensuring quality of life.

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